Clamping holder for busbars

Abstract

A clamping holder for busbars includes a base member having at least one projection, opening and clamping surface all located and shaped for reversible positioning of a pair of the base members with the projection on each received in the opening in the other, and with the clamping surfaces in spaced-apart facing relationship to define a part receiving aperture in which a busbar or other part is clamped and held.

I claim: 
     
       1. A clamping holder for clamping and holding a part comprising; a base member including a top portion, a bottom portion and opposite faces, an opening in said base member extending between and opening outwardly of said opposite faces and also opening outwardly at said bottom portion, said opening including opposite side surface portions facing generally toward one another, one of said side surface portions defining a clamping and holding surface portion and the other of said side surface portions defining a guide surface portion, a projection extending outwardly from said base member and having an inner projection surface forming a continuation of said clamping and holding surface portion, said projection having an exterior projection surface generally opposite from said inner projection surface and having a width between said inner and exterior surfaces thereof which is substantially less than the distance between said side surface portions of said opening, said projection and said opposite side surface portions of said opening being formed so that reversely positioning a pair of the base members with the projection on each aligned with the opening in the other and with the clamping and holding surfaces spaced apart to define a part receiving aperture results in decreasing the width of the part receiving aperture as the two members are moved toward one another and the projection on each is received in the opening of the other with the exterior projection surface on each member engaging the guide surface portion of the other. 
     
     
       2. A clamping holder for clamping and holding a part comprising; a base member including a top portion, a bottom portion and opposite faces, suspension means on said top portion for suspending said base member from a support, said base member having an opening therethrough, said opening including opposite side surface portions facing generally toward one another, one of said side surface portions defining a clamping and holding surface portion and the other of said side surface portions defining a guide surface portion, a projection extending outwardly from said base member and having an inner projection surface forming a continuation of said clamping and holding surface portion, said projection having an exterior projection surface generally opposite from said inner projection surface and having a width between said inner and exterior surfaces thereof which is substantially less than the distance between said side surface portions of said opening, said projection and said opposite side surface portions of said opening being formed so that reversely positioning a pair of the base members with the projection on each aligned with the opening in the other and with the clamping and holding surfaces spaced apart to define a part receiving aperture results in decreasing the width of the part receiving aperture as the two members are moved toward one another and the projection on each is received in the opening of the other with the exterior projection surface on each member engaging the guide surface portion of the other. 
     
     
       3. A clamping holder for clamping and holding a part comprising; a base member including a top portion, a bottom portion and opposite faces, an opening through said base member, said opening having a longitudinal axis extending between said faces and being outwardly open at said bottom portion, said opening including opposite side surface portions facing generally toward one another, one of said side surface portions defining a clamping and holding surface portion and the other of said side surface portions defining a guide surface portion, a projection on said base member extending outwardly from one of said faces and having an inner projection surface forming a continuation of said clamping and holding surface portion, said clamping and holding surface portion being inclined outwardly from said longitudinal axis of said opening in a direction from the other of said faces toward said one face, said projection having an exterior projection surface generally opposite from said inner projection surface and having a width between said inner and exterior surfaces thereof which is substantially less then the distance between said side surface portions of said opening, said projection and said opposite side surface portions of said opening being formed so that reversely positioning a pair of the base members with the projection on each aligned with the opening in the other and with the clamping and holding surfaces spaced apart to define a part receiving aperture results in decreasing the width of the part receiving aperture as the two members are moved toward one another and the projection on each is received in the opening of the other with the exterior projection surface on each member engaging the guide surface portion of the other. 
     
     
       4. A clamping holder for clamping and holding a part comprising; a base member including a top portion, a bottom portion and opposite faces, an opening through said base member extending across said faces and being outwardly open at said bottom portion across a width which is substantially less than the width of said opening above said bottom portion, said opening including opposite side surface portions facing generally toward one another, one of said side surface portions defining a clamping and holding surface portion and the other of said side surface portions defining a guide surface portion, a projection extending outwardly from said base member and having an inner projection surface forming a continuation of said clamping and holding surface portion, said projection having an exterior projection surface generally opposite from said inner projection surface and having a width between said inner and exterior surfaces thereof which is substantially less than the distance between said side surface portions of said opening, said projection and said opposite side surface portions of said opening being formed so that reversely positioning a pair of the base members with the projection on each aligned with the opening in the other and with the clamping and holding surfaces spaced apart to define a part receiving aperture results in decreasing the width of the part receiving aperture as the two members are moved toward one another and the projection on each is received in the opening of the other with the exterior projection surface on each member engaging the guide surface portion of the other. 
     
     
       5. A clamping holder for clamping and holding a part comprising; a base member having a plurality of spaced apart openings therethrough, each said opening including opposite side surface portions facing generally toward one another, one of said side surface portions defining a clamping and holding surface portion and the other of said side surface portions defining a guide surface portion, a plurality of spced apart projections extending outwardly from said base member, one of said projections being positioned adjacent each said opening and each said projection having an inner projection surface forming a continuation of said clamping and holding surface portion, each said projection having an exterior projection surface generally opposite from said inner projection surface and having a width between said inner and exterior surfaces thereof which is substantially less than the distance between said side surface portions of each said opening, each said projection and said opposite side surface portions of each said opening being formed so that reversely positioning a pair of the base members with the projections on each aligned with the openings in the other and with the clamping and holding surfaces spaced apart to define part receiving apertures results in decreasing the width of the part receiving apertures as the two members are moved toward one another and the projections on each are received in the openings of the other with the exterior projection surfaces on each member engaging the guide surface portions of the other. 
     
     
       6. A clamping holder comprising; a base member having at least one projection, opening and clamping surfaces all positioned for cooperation with a reversely positioned identical base member by having the projection on each received in the opening of the other with the clamping surfaces in spaced-apart opposed relationship to define a part receiving aperture, said base member having a bottom portion and said opening being outwardly open of said bottom portion at a bottom opening, and said clamping surface comprising a longitudinally extending arcuate groove in said base member along one side of said opening spaced above said bottom opening. 
     
     
       7. The clamping holder of claim 6 wherein said groove extends along said projection and said opening includes a projection receiving portion spaced outwardly from said groove having generally the same cross-sectional size and shape as the exterior cross-sectional size and shape of said projection. 
     
     
       8. In combination, a clamping holder formed by a pair of identical base members, each said base member having at least one projection, opening and clamping surface all positioned in cooperative relationship with a reversely positioned identical base member by having the projection on each received in the opening of the other with the clamping surfaces in spaced apart opposed relationship to define a busbar receiving aperture, each said base member having a bottom portion and each said opening being outwardly open of said bottom portion, said clamping surface on each said base member being shaped for defining a part receiving aperture on the pair of reversely positioned base members which receives and clamps an upper portion of an elongated busbar with the lower portion of the busbar extending outwardly of the bottom portions of the members, and a busbar so received and clamped in said aperture.